Martin Lawrence

Actor / Comedian

Born: 16 April 1965

Birthplace: Frankfurt, Germany

Best known as: Star of the TV sitcom Martin

Martin Lawrence took his stand-up comedy act and turned it into the hit TV show Martin from 1992-1997. In addition to the title role, Lawrence portrayed several different characters. The success of the series helped launch Lawrence on a career that has included comedy albums and several movies, including A Thin Line Between Love and Hate, which he also co-wrote and directed, and two big-budget buddy movies with Will Smith, Bad Boys (1995) and Bad Boys II (2003). Lawrence's off-screen antics have frequently made headlines, including a 1996 incident where he was found shouting incoherently in the middle of a busy intersection, and a 1999 incident where he collapsed and fell into a coma; both were blamed on exhaustion.